Moments of His Life
by Lil'MissGranger
Summary: For all lovers of lj who wish they were in the actual books, here is the story from Lily and Jame's point of view as they watch Harry grow up from afar. Chapter 8 is up! Hope you enjoy!
1. Halloween at Godric's Hollow

Disclaimer: The characters within my story are not mine. Unfortunately, JK thought of them before me.  
  
A/N: This is my first ficcie ever so be nice! Beginning may be a bit boring for some of you, but it gets more exciting towards the end  
  
Moments of His Life  
  
Godric's Hollow. Halloween night. 1981.  
  
"Man poor kid having to stay inside "in hiding" on Halloween and not go trick-or-treating," sighed James Potter as he tossed his one-year old son up in the air. Baby Harry just gurgled happily, while his mother Lily looked on.  
  
"He's the spitting image of his father," she thought, "only with my green eyes, I know James loves that." Aloud she said, "Well, he'll have plenty other Halloweens, and he doesn't even know what he's missing."  
  
"Yeah, but I know what I'm missing!" James chuckled, "Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. I used to be a master prankster of sorts."  
  
"Still are," Lily teased.  
  
In a mock hurt voice, "How could you say such a thing? You think I, a noble, mature, brave Potter would still be a prankster at my age?"  
  
"Yup. And at the moment, by the way you're swinging Harry in circles around my living room, you're not being a very responsible parent, and I don't think you're making Harry happy by making him dizzy."  
  
"Au Contraire, mademoiselle. Ickle Harrykins is having the time of his life!"  
  
Indeed, little one year old Harry bounced around happily and slightly cross- eyed as James plopped down on the couch next to Lily.  
  
"Ah, do you remember that Halloween in sixth year when I transfigured your head into a talking pumpkin?" James asked of his Lily-flower.  
  
"Yes, I never figured out how you did that!" she said as she laughed merrily, "And I seem to remember that I proceeded to pull out all of my seeds and smash them on your head before transfiguring your arms into bat wings. And you thought I was such an innocent little angel!"  
  
"Well that's because you are," and he planted a quick kiss on her lips, "I love you Lily,"  
  
"I lo—"  
  
BOOM!  
  
Something crashed and maniacal laughter filled the foyer of their house.  
  
"Oh God...James...Harry...Pettigrew, he...what are we..."sputtered Lily, completely taken aback by the sudden attack.  
  
James paled as he heard Lord Voldemort searching their front parlor room, the living room was in the very back of their large house, it would take hi a few minutes to get there. James grabbed her shoulders, looked her in the eye, and whispered, "Remember our plan. I will come meet you when I'm through with him." Lily handed him Harry for James to hug.  
  
"No James! Now that it's happening I can't leave you here alone with him!"  
  
The big oak French doors to the living room burst open, and there he stood, Lord Voldemort.  
  
Panicking for a moment, James shouted as he shoved Harry back in Lily's arms// "Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"//  
  
Lily, sobbing, grasped Harry tightly and ran from the room screaming, "I love you James!"  
  
Up the stairs, into Harry's bedroom, Lily had never gotten there faster, not even when Harry had had a fever, or the first night back from the hospital when she heard him cry in the night. "Calm down Lily," she ordered herself, "Think about the plan."  
  
The plan was simply this: while James dueled with Voldemort, Lily and Harry would grab a prearranged portkey that would take them to Hogwarts, where they would take refuge. James would join them if, no when, he made it through the battle with Voldemort.  
  
"Shh Lily, it's okay, we'll get through this..." Lily thought to herself, using the same soothing voice she always used to calm her precious Harry down.  
  
They had made a beautiful snow globe of Hogwarts that really snowed into the portkey. It had no prearranged departure time, but would take her and Harry to Hogwarts whenever she touched it.  
  
"But where is it?!" thought Lily desperately, "Harry always loved watching it, it was so soothing for him..."  
  
Just then, a green light, a rushing sound, a thud, and then a silence, a silence more terrible than any of the sounds before. And then, maniacal laughter rang through her ears and Lily knew that could only mean that James...  
  
"NOOOOOO!" she screamed, and then cursed to herself, realizing she'd given away where she was hiding. Footsteps thudding up the stairs.  
  
"Where is that blasted thing?"  
  
BAM!  
  
Voldemort had found her.  
  
He was tall, with deathly white skin.  
  
Wand in hand.  
  
Pointing....behind her?  
  
At Harry.  
  
With one stride, Lily placed herself between her husband's murderer and her son.  
  
// "Stand aside girl!"//  
  
"No, NEVER!"  
  
"Imperio."  
  
Words were pounding through Lily's brain.  
  
Stand aside, get out of the way, you will live long and happily if you do as I say, Stand aside... "Life?" a voice far away inside her head argued, "Would it really be life if James and Harry were both dead?"  
  
"NO! Take me instead!" she said as she broke free of the curse.  
  
// "Stand aside you silly girl...stand aside now..."  
  
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead--"  
  
"Stand aside. Stand aside girl!"  
  
"Not Harry! Not Harry! Please—I'll do anything--"//  
  
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
  
And the world went white for Lily Potter as she heard her baby scream.  
  
A/N: So, how'd ya like it? Please tell me! REVIEW!! 


	2. The Journey Begins

Disclaimer: Lucky duck, J.K. came up with Harry and Co. first. Just for future reference, in this fic I sometimes have to quote the books directly. In this case, I bound the quoted material with two slashes:  
  
A/N: This is a bit of a short chapter, it was gonna be connected to chapter three, but the two of them together was kinda long so I split them into two chapters. This chapter is also just a bit of a transition chapter, the real meat of the story starts in the third chapter.  
  
The Journey Begins  
  
Lily was whirling through space, void of light and sound. She tried to scream, but it was thrown back down her throat and she choked. She spun faster. Images flashed before her eyes.  
  
Her singing a lullaby to her favorite baby doll.  
  
At her 7th birthday, blowing out the candles while nine year old Petunia hugged her.  
  
An owl, flying towards her on her eleventh birthday, as she ran away, hands over her head.  
  
Entering Diagon Alley with her bewildered mother for the first time.  
  
Getting Sorted into Gryffindor.  
  
Her first day at Hogwarts.  
  
Meeting her best friend Alice.  
  
Getting the letter that told her her grandparents had died.  
  
Learning to fly on a broomstick.  
  
Her first visit to Hogsmede.  
  
A fifteen year old Petunia with jealous eyes facing her saying, "I hate you, you freak."  
  
James in fourth year, "Evans, will you go out with me?" while rumpling his hair.  
  
Getting 12 OWLs.  
  
Gryfinndor beating Slytherin in the Quidditch Cup 310 to 60.  
  
"Mudblood," hissed a sixteen year old Snape.  
  
Her parents and herself at Petunia's wedding to Vernon Dursley.  
  
Being Head Girl in seventh year.  
  
Her first kiss...from James.  
  
Taking NEWTS.  
  
Being initiated into the Order.  
  
Her wedding day.  
  
Her honeymoon.  
  
Fighting Voldemort with James at her side. Harry as he opened his eyes for the first time.  
  
She hit the ground with a start, only one thought in her head.  
  
"HARRY!!!"  
  
A/N: Like I said, rather short, but I'm giving you two chapters in a day so it's all good right? This is just basically her life flashing before her eyes. Just for future reference, I will update at least once a week usually sometime on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Now lovely notes for my four awesome reviewers!  
  
prof. spider-thanks! that's really nice, I'm flattered! Here's two more chapter's for ya!  
  
Laughing Dragoness- thanks to you too! nice that you checked for grammar or punctuation mistakes. Let me know if you see any in future chapters? looks at Laughing Dragoness hopefully Enjoy the next two chapters!  
  
winterbliss- thanks for the review! yeah, I understand what you mean about that, but it's my first fic and I'm trying my very bestest best!  
  
J.Draven-thanks! and congraaaaaatulations! you're my first reviewer! you get the grand prize! staggers over with gigantic trophy phew! hope you like it and my next two chapters!  
  
Review Review Review!!! 


	3. On the Road to Heaven

Disclaimer: Not mine, it all belongs to J.K. Rowling. All of it, I tell you, all!  
  
A/N: this is pretty long for me. remember my little mean its quoted directly from the books. J.K.'s words, not mine! enjoy!  
  
On the Road to Heaven  
  
"Lily, LILY!!"  
  
Her head was pounding, someone was shouting at, slapping at her face.  
  
"Lily! C'mon wake up!"  
  
She knew that voice...James! She jerked herself upright.  
  
"James! Oh, he got you, and Harry! What's happening to Harry? And where are we?"  
  
Lily had only just taken in her surroundings. She was sitting on a paved road with green pastures with wildflowers bounding either side of the road; a cloudless blue sky was overhead as the sun shone down on the road which seemed to go on forever.  
  
"Well," said James matter of factly "we appear to be on some type of roadway to heaven, seeing as we're dead."  
  
"But what about Harry?" asked Lily as she began to cry, "Did Voldemort torture him? He's only a baby! Oh, James, he'll never know us! I'll never see him walk or run or even play stupid Quidditch!" She went silent for a moment. "The last thing I heard was him cry out," she whispered.  
  
"I know," said James, hugging her quietly, "But Harry is alive, he made it through somehow, and you know what, you will watch him grow up. I've figured out a way."  
  
At this, he placed his hand on top of the grass, concentrated for a moment, and said, "Fenestra."  
  
Immediately a large window about four feet long and three feet wide appeared on the ground.  
  
"James, how did you..."  
  
"I always was good at wandless magic, wasn't I?" James said pompously.  
  
Lily managed a weak smile.  
  
"Yes, but anyway, I figured this out as soon as I got here, and as you..."  
  
Lily cut him off, "Did you see stuff in your head on your way here?"  
  
"Yes, I now officially have seen my life flash before my eyes. Not the most pleasant of experiences."  
  
They both sat quietly for a moment, staring blankly at the empty window.  
  
"So, how does this work?" Lily asked  
  
"Ah, simply say the name of whomever you want to watch, rather like those mirrors Sirius and I had...man, he is going to be beating himself up for switching with Pettigrew," said James.  
  
"No, it's not his fault, we agreed with him. Anyway, Harry Potter," she said suddenly and an image of Harry's bedroom swam into view. There was Harry, either sleeping or unconscious in his crib which was partially covered by a pile of rubble.  
  
"Oh, he's alive! but someone needs to get him out of there! Why isn't anyone there yet?!" She jumped up off the ground and began pacing like caged animal.  
  
"Lily we were attacked hardly ten minutes ago. It'll take some time for--"  
  
"We don't have time! Look at those bricks on top of his crib! Half of a bedroom wall is on top of my baby. A piece of rubble could fall on top of him and crush him! And--"  
  
"There's nothing you can do Lily! It's okay! Dumbledore will probably already have someone on the way--"  
  
"It's not okay! Harry is lying there helpless and defenseless and--"  
  
She stopped short as she suddenly noticed Hagrid step into Harry's room.  
  
"Oh thank God it's Hagrid."  
  
James and Lily watched as Hagrid carefully lifted the rubble off of the crib, and very tenderly for a man of his size, lifted Harry from his crib. Inside the window, Lily and James heard footsteps, and Hagrid must have as well, because he suddenly grew tense and made the hand that wasn't cradling Harry into and enormous fist.  
  
"Oh no, not a Death Eater..." Lily murmured.  
  
An ashen faced Sirius rushed into the room.  
  
"It's true..." he breathed as he gazed at Lily's unmarked body, which a very weird experience for Lily. Sirius slammed his fist into the wall, causing dust to fly into the air  
  
"Damn that bloody..."  
  
"Shush, ye don' wan' te wake Harry now" said Hagrid  
  
"Give Harry to me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather. I'll look after him."  
  
"Nope, sorry Dumbledore's ordered he go 'n live with Lily's sister Petunia."  
  
"What?! Lily interjected, "Harry live with her?"  
  
"Shh!" said James.  
  
Hagrid and Harry were now on their way to St. Mungo's atop Sirius's flying motorcycle.  
  
"What is Hagrid thinking with Harry on a flying motorcycle? With NO seatbelts!"  
  
"What's a seatbelt? Sounds interesting," asked James.  
  
Lily rolled her eyes "Well at least he'll get medical attention, and I can think of another one of us who need it," she muttered with a significant glance at James who chuckled.  
  
They arrived at St. Mungo's at last where they promptly began running test after test.  
  
Lily soon became exasperated as Harry underwent his tenth test "Look at them! Treating him like he's some sort of experiment! And look at his poor forehead. He'll always have that scar..." "It's alright, guys don't care about their looks my Tiger-Lily," said James, "Look, they're being released right now and they're on their way to your dear sister's house."  
  
"Oh, that's so comforting."  
  
Hagrid and Harry soon joined Professors Dumbledore and McGongall who left Harry with a letter on the doorstep.  
  
"What can Dumbledore be thinking leaving--"  
  
James cut her off "I think that's becoming your new favorite phrase."  
  
Lily continued in a louder voice, "Leaving him outside on the doorstep, any dark wizard could just stroll right on up and have a go at our son!"  
  
"Lily, be reasonable, knowing Dumbledore, he'll have made really strong wards and created some kind of protection. Now I propose we stop this viewing session-Nox- and start up this road for a bit as that is obviously what we are supposed to be doing."  
  
"Alright."  
  
James pulled her up and unexpectedly pulled her to him and pressed his lips over hers. They broke apart after a few moments.  
  
"You are the most beautiful, wonderful wife and mother," James said intensly, pulling her chin upwards to look into her eyes.  
  
"No," Lily murmmered, "I left my baby to the hands of someone who will probably hate him as much as she hated me."  
  
"Hey now, you're the reason he lived Lil, didn't you listen to Dumbledore? You gave your life up for him, you love him so much, you can't bear to watch him live without you."  
  
"And you, too."  
  
"Yes," James sighed, "Well, onward down the road, shall we?" holding out his arm.  
  
"I'd only want to walk here with you."  
  
They walked silently down the road for a while until they suddenly reached a fork in the road.  
  
To one side, the road continued far away and over a hill; to the other, it continued for only a few more feet, leading to a rather odd contraption.  
  
An intriguing raised dais with a cracked archway that had a tattered black veil hanging from it.  
  
A/N: mwahahaha! semi cliffie for ya there! I added the part about St. Mungo's cuz for those of you who read the Ultimate Unofficial Guide to the Mysteries of Harry Potter, Waters wonders what Harry did for all those hours between the night his parents were murdered and the next night in which in arrived at his aunt's house. this is my theory as to where he was, to me it makes sense, wouldn't they want to make sure it didn't affect him mentally and physically and all? Anybody noticed my use of "Fenestra" was Latin for window? I take latin, and that's where a bunch of J.K.'s spells come from. How'd ya like Lily's little overprotective mother spell? Ooc or no? I don't really think so, I mean, if you were in her position, wouldn't you feel the same?  
  
Oh well, till next week! Ciao! Don't forget to review now! 


	4. The Choice

Disclaimer: Nope! not mine! never has been, aren't now, never will be!

A/N: Aaaah! it's exam week for me! can't wait till Thursday, I'll be free then!  I figured out how to _italics _and **bold **and such stuff! aren't you proud? I still have to go back and edit the other chapters though. in this chapter we will explore one of my theories about the veil hope you enjoy…

The Choice

As Lily and James stared at the archway, a scroll appeared, suspended in midair, with words forming of their own accord:

To one side, pretended life is found

The other, the unknown realm of death.

Departed, do you return to where friendship and love abound?

The breathing, the living, the moving, the loving

Life.

Or are you bold and unafraid

Ready for the peace of death

After the price you've paid?

Death

The choice may only be made by you.

Return to life, embrace death,

What shall you do?

James looked at Lily, "And that means…"

" Honestly, it obviously means that if you travel through the veil, you can 'return to life' as a ghost.  Or, you can continue down the road to heaven.  Actually, I'm quite certain that this archway connects to the Death Chamber in the Ministry of Magic, where they would try to reach the dead.  Too bad they can't reach us so we can tell them anything."

 "Ah," said James, now that Lily had finished

_"I always said she should have been a teacher, sure knows how to explain things in great boring details."_

Aloud, he said, "So, what do you think we should do Lils?"

"I…" she started, "don't know." she finished lamely.

"We have to weigh this carefully; this decision is for all of forever," said James seriously.

Lily bit her lip. "I don't know, I've never really had to make a decision that would bind me for all of forever."

"Of course you have," said James lightly, "you agreed to be my wife."

Lily laughed.  "_He can always make me laugh," _she thought, and then said with a smile, "Looks like I'm stuck with you."

"You betcha."

"Anyway, onto 'the choice.'  I think we should make up a pro and con list, those always help."

"Alrighty, let's do pro's. Ladies first."

"Pro: Harry will actually know us."

"Pro: I can testify that Sirius switched with that bloody git."

"Pro: We can still be helpful to the Order."

"Pro: I can tell Harry the 162 ways Sirius and I got detentions and coach him to beat my record."

Lily raised an eyebrow at him.

"Okay, okay," James said hastily, "maybe not quite like that.  So, now we have a couple of pros. How about con's?"

"It could be painful for Harry and us; we're there, but not there."

"It could be embarrassing for him.  I mean, what other kid has survived Voldemort, has a whopping scar on his forehead, _and_ has parents who are ghosts."

"Many ghosts regret their choice—take Nearly Headless Nick for example."

"You never get to eat anything again unless you want it to look and smell like Vernon Dursley's socks."

"Do you ever take anything seriously?"

"Yup."

"What might that be?"

"Loving you."

Lily smiled inwardly, but rolled her eyes.  "Enough of that lover boy. Now, what are the results?"

"Four on either side," replied James.

"Three, your last ones didn't count."

James pretended to look hurt.  "So, what's the verdict?"

"I'm…I'm still not sure," stammered Lily.

"How about on the count of three, we tell each other our gut feeling?"

"Isn't the sort of things kids do in about...oh, I don't know…_first year_?"

"Yeah, but who cares!  Ready? 1—2—3…"

"Don't go back," they said together.

Lily sighed, "You felt that way too, huh?"

"It's for the best," James whispered.

"Yeah," said Lily quietly.  She still felt upset about not being able to be there for Harry as he grew up.  It was like losing him all over again by purposely choosing to stay out of his life.

James seemed able to read her mind because he said, "It'll be alright, you'll see."

With that, he took her hand and pulled her towards the road to heaven, away from that sinister looking archway.

No sooner had they gone a few steps, another scroll materialized in midair.  This one read in a formal flowing script:

_Welcome to the Road to Heaven_

_You have two options.  Some prefer to be taken immediately to heaven while others prefer to walk the road themselves.  If you wish to take option A, take the provided portkey._

At this, a large winged solid gold snitch materialized.

_Or, if you wish continue yourself, proceed past this scroll._

James looked at Lily, the question in his eyes.

"Let's walk it ourselves," she said.

"My thoughts exactly," he replied, and they began to walk past the scroll.

However, as soon as they were past it, another scroll appeared.

"Sheesh," said James, eyeing the scroll which requested them to sign their respective names with an attached quill.

After they did so, another message formed on the scroll.

_Please be aware that you are allowed to return to the world of the living to be of assistance to a living person seven times in the course of all eternity._

James looked at Lily and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Well, Lils, looks like we got the best deal, between the two of us we're gonna get _fourteen_ visits!"

Lily slapped his arm playfully.  Then, hand in hand, they finally started down the long road together.

But the interruptions on the road to heaven were not over for the Potters, for as they walked along slowly two figures came into view.  Two figures that Lily recognized.

"_Mum? Dad?"_

A/N: mwahahaha! another semi-cliffie! what in the world are Lily's parents doing there? find out in next week's episode of Moments of His Life! hehe! was this chapter rather cheesy? james a little immature? or did you like it this way? no one answers while crickets chirp well tell me people! REVIEW! hmm… just thinking, I don't know if this will be up today (Sunday) or tomorrow (Monday)? well if it's not up like promised today, I'm really really sorry! exams y'know, my brain is like mush. but I know what would make it all better…a review!

And to all the wonderful people who reviewed me last chapter…

Laughing Dragoness- yes, I know, this archway/ veil thing is supposed to be where people who enter the one in the MoM come out, and where people who want to be ghosts return to the world of the living.  I mean, wouldn't the Ministry want to know what ghosts are out there so they can't go play tricks on muggles? seems reasonable to me.  awww…you love my story?! thanks so much, I'm flattered. I love when you review!

p0l-thanks, hope this chapter clears it up for you!__


	5. Reunions and Rememberances

Remialcsid: ton enim, tub siht yaw fo gnitirw saw ni s'.K.J tsrif koob!!!

A/N: Hey! sooooo sorry bout the wait, I know, I said once exams are out i'll be free right? apparently not, the way my mom thinks, I've been sentenced to cleaning out my closet and seeing as there is a pile of stuff in it about three feet high and a bunch of junk and dirty clothes all over the place, I have quite literally been buried in stuff to be doing. however I had a bunch ideas come to me while a battled with the jungle that used to be my closet so I should have at least two chapters up in the next 48 hours or so, hopefully! anyway, here you go, chapter 5

Reunions and Remembrances

_"Mum? Dad?"_

The two elderly, yet still spry, figures slowly turned towards Lily and James.  They were far enough away that their faces were not entirely distinguishable, but as each set of eyes locked onto the other, they all _knew._

"It _is_ you!" cried Lily.

"Lily flower!" yelled her mother incoherently.

James stood back a bit and smiled as the three ran towards each other.  Lily's parents had been killed a little more than a year ago in a surprise attack from Voldemort himself and his Death Eaters…

FLASHBACK

Lily and James Potter were laughing while walking up the walk to a pretty white house out off of a country road.  It was a perfect summer evening: there was a gorgeous sunset, birds flew cheerfully through the air, trilling their beautiful music, and not a cloud in sight.  The perfect night for a young couple recently returning from their honeymoon.  They put their arms around each other's waists as they walked up the porch steps past the wicker rocking chairs, and up to the door.

"Well, ring the doorbell why don't you?" said Lily.

"And what, my dear, is a doorbell?" asked James innocently.

Lily shook her head.  "It's a button that makes a ringing sound inside the house when it is pressed so that the people inside know that someone is outside."

"Ah, why don't you demonstrate for me?"

Lily put out her hand and made as if to press the doorbell, but then suddenly changed course and poked James in the belly button.

"Aaaah!...Lily…stop!!" James gasped between laughs, but she just laughed and continued to poke him.

_"Curse the day I told her I was extremely ticklish," _thought James as he doubled over.

A light on the porch flicked on, the door opened, and the round, jolly face of Sam Evans, proud father of Lily, appeared.

"The newlyweds arrive! Acting like third years I might add.  Do I dare ask what you were doing?"

"Making me, or more precisely my belly bu—er, navel into a doorbell, sir" said James, wiping his watering eyes.

The corners of Sam's mouth twitched.

"Well, c'mon in, Rose has got a whopper of a meal cooked up for the two of you."

They all walked inside into a spacious foyer and went down a hallway that lead to the kitchen.

"Is that my Lily flower?" called a voice through the swinging door of the kitchen.  Rose Evans walked through the door, drying her hands on her apron.  She was a short woman, even Lily towered over her, with deep auburn hair and the same beautiful green eyes that she passed onto her daughter. 

"Oh, you're home!" she cried, going to Lily and James and hugging them, "And look at the two of you! So tan! Well actually, Lily, you look quite freckly, redhead that you are! Come and sit down! I've just finished up all the dinner preparations."  And with that, she led them into the dining room.

"Wow Mom," gaped Lily, "you didn't have to do all this just for us."

For there spread across the dining room table was a grand feast of salad, stuffed chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh greens, and freshly baked rolls.

"And there's lemon icebox pie for dessert" said Rose fondly. "I know that is yours and James's favorite."

They sat down to their wonderful candlelit dinner and began a lively conversation about the many places Lily and James had gone during their honeymoon. 

"So handy, that apparition thing.  It would have cost you a fortune and wasted a lot of time if you had used an airplane to go to all those places.  Too bad we can't do it ourselves, eh Sam?  I know it'll cost a pretty penny to buy the gas needed to drive all the way out to Lily and James's new home," she teased.

Lily flushed, "I'm sorry Mom, we…"

"Oh, dear, you know your mother was just teasing," said Sam.

"No, really," said James. "Here, I'll make you a portkey." He took out his wand with a flair and transformed the vase of roses in front of him into a portkey. "There," he said. "It'll take only you two to our hose whenever you touch it together."

"Thank you dearie, it's nice to know you married a gentleman Lily, it's too bad your sister didn't," she said the last part under her breath, but Lily heard it anyway. 

Lily stood up abruptly at the sound of her sister's name and she started pacing around the kitchen.

"I'm so sorry she didn't come to your wedding, Lily," said Sam quietly.

"We…we tried to convince her to come this evening, without Vernon of course, we know that things get ugly when he's around you, but she…refused quite…firmly to say the least."

"Act like she'd rather go live in Antarctica and eat raw fish for the rest of her life rather than come see her own sister who hasn't done anything to her," said Lily bitterly.  She always did feel hurt that Petunia totally avoided her. She sighed.  "It's just that I hate the fact that she hates me."

She wandered over to an open window, hoping that looking out over the peaceful country would soothe her ruffled feelings; she really didn't want to ruin their visit.

Unfortunately, any chance of having the night not being ruined had already been squashed.

Lily's eyes widened in fear as she watched the scene on the lawn play out.

There was a swish of a cloak, a cackle of laughter, and a blast of green light.

Lily stared as the Dark Mark rose over her house.

She whipped away from the window.  "Mum, Dad, listen," she whispered urgently, "There are Death Eaters here, they'll be up here at any moment.  They don't want you, it's James and I they want, go, take the portkey to our house, we'll meet you there when we're…

"That won't be happening," drawled a sneering voice under a Death Eater's mask, but that voice could only belong to Lucius Malfoy.  "Accio portkey!"

The vase of flowers flew to Malfoy, who was not quite expecting the portkey to be a vase, and he barely caught it.  

    "How sentimental," he said, eyeing the vase with great distaste, "pity you won't be able to put this to use, you filthy muggles." He made to conjure up ropes to bind the Evans, but James who was standing next to Sam and Rose was too quick for him.

"Protegro!" Malfoy's spell went richeting off into the wall.

"Leave them alone, they don't hurt you and your debased leader," seethed Lily.

James muttered to Lily, "Let me handle them, you get your parents out of here,"

"No, it's more like they exist if you know what I mean, Potter," snarled the masked figure next to Malfoy.

"Reverting to fifth year tactics, are you Snape?"

Lily started edging towards her parents, unnoticed by Malfoy or Snape who were now waging a furious duel against James, nothing James couldn't handle though, all those fights in school certainly paid off.

But someone else noticed her. "And where do you think you're going miss? Impedimenta!" said a slow dull voice that _tried _to sound menacing.

Lily easily deflected his hex. "Honestly, Goyle, you might try a voice disguising charm. Silencio! Petrificus Totalus!"

Goyle immediately shut up and fell down on the ground.  Lily bent over and rapped him sharply on the head, casting a Disillusionment charm. Then she banished him into the closet.

She wiped her hands.  "That takes care of him." She hurried over to her parents where they lay bound and gagged, Snape or Malfoy obviously having gotten to them while James wasn't looking and while she had dueled, very briefly with Goyle.

"It's alright, don't worry," she said to her parents. They shook their heads frantically and stared behind her head, their eyes wide with fright.

Lily slowly turned around. "Wha…" A huge fist was on its way to her head, she dived out of the way only just in time.

_"Of course," _she thought, "_wherever there's Goyle, there's Crabbe."_

"Stupefy!" she cried and banished Crabbe to the closet as well.

"Come here," she said to her parents.  She quickly cut their bonds and took out their gags.   Then she cast a disillusionment charm on the three of them.  "Let's get out of here."

They edged around Malfoy, Snape, and James who were using everything possible to gain an advantage over the other; it was a pretty even match considering it was two on one.  All three of them were holding pots which they were using to deflect spells back at each other, knives had been bewitched to fly at their opponents.

Lily watched as though in slow motion as Malfoy directed a knife towards James who was busy with Snape.  She whipped out her wand. "Impedimenta!" she whispered.

The knife halted in midair, inches from James's face.  He turned, saw it, and quickly grabbed it and flung it at Snape, successfully pinning him to the wall.  Lily breathed a sigh of relief and ushered her parents through the kitchen's swinging door.

_"Oh dear God"_ she thought

No less than ten more death eaters were standing there, obviously to block anyone from escaping.

"You can't hide, we know you're in here, missy"

"Yeah, we can smell your dirty blood" jeered another.

"_No choice but to go back into the kitchen,"_ she thought.

She grabbed her parents by their elbows, but they couldn't move for fright.

"Enough of this hide and seek game, let's get them," snarled one of the Death Eaters.  "Accio Mudblood! Accio Mudblood's parents!"

Lily and her parents found themselves flying across the room. 

"Ah, there you are my pretty," said the Death Eater who caught her, rapping her on the head to get rid of her disillusionment charm.

Lily pushed out of his grip, "Expelliarmus!"

His wand flew into her outstretched hand.   "Stupefy! Stupefy!" she cried, taking down two Death Eaters.

"You can't beat us, you fool, you silly mudblood that you are, you stand against us alone…"

"Excuse me," came a voice behind the Death Eater.  It was Sam, tapping on the Death Eater's shoulder. "I do believe you've forgotten one thing." Here, he sent a spectacular punch into the Death Eater's face who crumpled to the ground. "She's not alone, because I'm still here."

"Dad, don't…"

"Crucio!"

Lily watched in horror as her father twitched and screamed on the ground. "Stupefy!" she cried. The curse was broken, and Sam lay moaning on the ground. Suddenly, there was a stupendous crash as James ran into the room, pot still in hand.

"Oh, shit"

Seven stunning spells from the remaining Death Eaters came flying his way.  He quickly rebounded them all back to their originators with his pot, and they all fell to the floor.

"Useful things these pots are," he said.

Lily could only smile weakly at him as she tended to her father.  "You alright Dad?"

"Yes, Lily," he said, though his breathing came in short gasps, "I'll be fine."

"I'm so sorry, this is all our fault…" she sobbed.

James pulled her into a hug. "Shhh…Lily, don't cry…"

BANG!

The front door flew open.

"Now isn't this the perfect picture" said a high cold voice.

Everyone turned and froze, James still hugging Lily, Rose bending over Sam who was on the floor behind them. 

 "Voldemort," whispered Lily.

"I tire of my Death Eater's incompetence, fifteen of them cannot overtake two worthless old muggles, a mudblood, and a blood traitor.  I suppose if I want the thing done right I'll have to do it myself.  AVADA KEDAVRA!" he screeched.

James and Lily dived out of the way.

"_NOOOOO!!"_ screamed Lily.

"Lily, apparate, NOW!" yelled James.

With one lastlook at the lifeless bodies of her parents, Lily and James disappeared with a pop.

END FLASHBACK

"James? James? Hello? Have you been listening?" Lily was waving a hand in front of his face. 

"Huh, what?"

"Look, it's my parents, you're like off in Quidditch land,"

"Oh, sorry, hello Rose, Sam, I was just remembering the…the last time we saw you…"

"And you on no account were responsible as Lily here seems to think," said Rose firmly, coming up to James to give him a hug.  "It's wonderful too see you two, well, I'd rather not see you _here_ but it is still nice.  Of course, we've been watching everyone-"

"Wait, how were you able to if you can't do magic?"

"Ah, Lily told me all about your clever way of doing it, and 'the choice,' I never knew muggles couldn't come back as ghosts…anyway, when we came, we were issued a sort of two way mirror.  You say the name of the person you want to see and they appear in your mirror."

"Oh, those are most excellent, my best mate Sirius and I had a pair back at Hogwarts," said James enthusiastically.

"Yes, well, we best be off," said Sam.

"Where, you're not going to get there any faster than we are," teased Lily.

"Actually," explained Rose, "we simply use our mirror to get to heaven, and we were going to go straight there rather than walk it, but then I said I wanted to use the mirror to check on you one last time before we went.  And then the attack on your house on Halloween, and I watched while you stood up to Voldemort…"

"Did everyone have to watch me then? James did, now you, it's kinda creepy," said Lily.

"Anyway, we decided to wait for you so we could see you in person before we went on," said Sam.

"Hang on, you died over a year ago,  how is it that you're not farther down the road by now?" asked Lily.

"Well, time works different here than down on earth honey, do you know how long eternity would be if it went by days? I have absolutely no idea how many 'days' it has been that we were here," said Rose gently.

"Alright, well then, I guess this is goodbye until you two young'uns get there yourselves," said Sam, shaking James's hand and giving Lily a hug.

"Watch over my grandson for me," said Rose, pecking Lily on the cheek.

"Don't worry, she will, Rose," said James.  Lily narrowed her eyes at him.

Rose laughed, then she stepped over to Sam and tightly grasped the larger white mirror with him. Together, they said, "We're in heaven."  A last smile, and then they were gone.  

A/N: wow, that flashback went on much longer than I intended it to! was it too long? it's just once I got into it I wanted to do it properly, oh well, made for a nice long chapter.  y'know I was thinking I might do some more flashbacks of other random stuff later on in the story to give a little spice, don't want this story to become just a summary of the harry potter books, cuz that's not what it's intended to be! how was the fight scene, it was my first ever, hope you guys liked it!  anyway, you know what to do, REVIEW! cuz if you do, you get very special treatment… you get individual responses from me that make you feel so special! next chapter should be up soon!

**ACKNOWLEDGEMBENT OF THE COOLEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD CUZ THEY SENT ME A BEAUTIFUL REVIEW!!!**

Laughing Dragoness—you came back! hooray! thanks! hope you liked this one!

fluffiemuffins14—cool name! I loves it! yeah, this chapter doesn't really have a cliffie. actually, I was going to end it in the middle of the flashback, right when lily sees the dark mark, so I could have a cliffhanger, because they're so much fun to write (even if they're not fun for the reader! :P) but I decided it would be weird to have the flashback take up two chapters. anyway, hope you enjoyed this chappie!

J.Draven—hey, nice to see you again! wait, I am confuzzled (that is the coolest word I've ever made up) what did you mean in your review "can't say much about it"? was that a good thing or a bad thing :bites fingernails: hope it's a good thing! hope you enjoyed this chapter, and hope I hear from you again whether it's good or bad! 

Sissiro— aw, you love my story, I love it when people tell me they love it! ah, the power of cheese…you didn't think it was cheesy?! hooray! what did you think this time, maybe you could let me know some way :wink wink: send me another review!

June 2nd – I am currently banned from all websites having to do with harry potter because my computer downloaded some kind of weird program from one of them supposedly. I think this is totally ridiculous, we can't know for certain what happened to it or where it came from, it's just that I asked my computer freak brother (who hates harry potter and the fact that I go to harry potter sites by the way) to help get me rid of the program.  he asked me what sites I had been on that day, and when I told him that I had been on harry potter ones, he immediately assumed that it was one of those quote "insecure sights that harry potter freaks like you put up has downloaded the program onto your computer." then, he proceded to tell my parents, who are now monitoring what sites I go on-I'm limited to my email, school website, weather channel site, and sparknotes…sounds like a fun, doesn't it.  consequently, I cannot update my story until I convince my parents to allow me back on harry potter websites, so I'm really really sorry about that.  ( it's like midnight I'm sneaking on here really quickly to put up this message so you guys won't hate me) Never fear though, I'm going to be writing a bunch of chapters and typing them, so when I am finally allowed back on(which will be no earlier than june 15th, cuz I'm out of town) you can expect a bunch of updates in quick succession. later!


	6. It's BeenA Year

Disclaimer: did anybody figure out my disclaimer from last time? if you didn't you need to read PS/SS again! well anyway, I'm still not jk! enjoy!

A/N: whew! I'm back! convinced my mom to allow me on hp sites again hooray! here's the next chappie! hope you like it!

It's Been…A Year?

Lily smiled at the spot where her parents had been a moment before. James gave her a squeeze.

"Better goodbye than last time?"

"Yeah," she murmured.

"Let's check on Harry, shall we?" suggested James. He led her to the side of the road.

"Why did a lily cross the road?" he joked.

"So she could push her husband on the other side," she said shoving James who emitted a small "oof!"

Lily settled down on the grass next to James.

"Alright James, do your thing."

"Fenestra," The blank screen appeared.

"James," said Lily quietly, "how long do you think it's been?"

"Only one way to find out. Harry Potter," said James clearly.

A picture of the Dursley's kitchen swam into view; apparently, it was nearing dinner time for Petunia was cooking something or other on the stove. Baby Harry came toddling into view, occasionally stumbling over the oversize t-shirt he had on. Once he fell flat on his face, right in front of his aunt's feet. Petunia didn't even look down.

"That is hard tile floor!" cried Lily indignantly, "How can she ignore him like that?!"

"Seems as though it's a common occurrence," said James grimly, "Look, he's just getting right back up, almost like he's used to it…"

Harry was indeed getting back up, and he was using his aunt's stockinged leg to do it. His aunt gave her leg a little shake, but Harry held tightly on and scooted up higher on her leg. He was trying to reach the food in the pot, and he was making small moaning noises—Petunia just watched as Harry stretched out his hand to the boiling pot…

"Oh, don't Harry, it's hot!" Lily wailed.

But Harry had already touched it, and with a cry, he fell to a heap on the ground. Petunia towered over him.

"Hungry, are you? Well you would have gotten lunch if you were a good boy like Dudley…"

Harry made a distinct face of disgust. Petunia's face turned white, and she pulled her hand back…

Harry ran out the kitchen as fast as his stubby legs could carry him. Lily and James watched him enter the living room where Dudley was watching a TV show in which some policemen were giving chase to a band of robbers. The show ended, and Dudley finally noticed Harry. Dudley jumped up and pointed his finger at Harry like a gun.

"BANG! You dead!"

Harry looked at him, puzzled. He stuck out a tiny hand and pointed it at Dudley and jerked it, but didn't say anything.

"James," said Lily concernedly, "Why isn't Harry talking?"

"I can only guess…" he said, with an uncharacteristically grim look on his face.

Dudley did not like this turn of events at all. He scowled at Harry.

"NO!! Harry DEAD! BANG! Play dead! Now!"

Harry stood his ground as Dudley made to push him to the ground. Harry raised his hand once more, pointed it at Dudley, and jerked it.

BANG!

Dudley was blasted off his feet halfway across the living room; he gave one startled look at Harry and ran off into the kitchen.

"That's my boy! You show him Harry!" James cheered, "He'll be a fine wizard," he said to Lily, "showing that much magic at his age!"

"So long as he learns to talk," replied Lily gloomily.

"Cheer up; he'll talk in good time."

The Dursleys and Harry were now at dinner with Dudley in a high chair and Harry sitting on a normal chair, his bright green eyes barely over the table-- the Dursleys had absolutely refused to by double baby necessities to accommodate their "burden" of a nephew.

"James, look at Harry's plate!" cried Lily. For Harry had the smallest portions she had ever seen…and his meat, which was really nothing but grizzle and fat, was cut haphazardly. Many of the pieces were too larger for any baby's mouth, even Dudley's.

"This—this is child neglect!" Lily sputtered angrily.

"If I had that Dursley, I'd blow him up like a balloon, and pop him!" growled James.

Vernon and Petunia were now discussing some conflict or another.

"Vernon, the Beach Party for Dudley's nursery school is in two days time, August the 2nd…"

"It's going to be August the second in two days!" Lily cried, "James, it's been almost a year!"

"Lily, if August 2nd is in two days, then today is…"

"_HARRY'S BIRTHDAY?!"_

"Shhh!" said James, but Lily continued to mutter things under her breath like "treating him like that on his _birthday_" and "how _could_ she?"

"Anyway Vernon, we'll have to take—have to take _him."_

Vernon sprayed coffee across the table. "What! Someone must be able to take him! What about Miss Figg?"

"The flu."

"Mrs. Polkiss?"

"Having her second child; she tried to burden me with Piers, but I absolutely refused to take on _another_ unwanted child. The nerve of some people…"

"Oh, yes, I just wanted to up and die and leave my baby with you! You—you monster!" cried Lily quite hysterically.

Uncle Vernon was running out of people to suggest. "Marge?"

"Dog show."

"Blast!" Uncle Vernon ejaculated in frustration.

Harry unfortunately took this inopportune moment to choke on a piece of his "meat."

"You boy will not stay at this table with your disgusting mannerisms. Go to your closet!"

"Closet?" wondered Lily.

Harry's face was turning purple.

"James! We've got to do something! He could choke to death and they would just sit there and watch!"

SPLAT! Harry coughed and the meat shot across the table at Uncle Vernon.

"That does it boy!" he growled as he grabbed Harry and shoved him into the closet under the stairs and locked the door.

Inside the dark closet, Harry curled into a ball on the dusty floor and placed his thumb in his mouth. A single tear rolled down his small thin cheek.

But that couldn't compare with the amount of tears streaming from his mother's eyes.

A/N: ta dah! rather short, rather sad. hope you guys don't think I was too hard on harry, but let's face it, the dursleys have always ignored his existence. sigh, hate putting him through that, but next chapter will be happier, there will be a return to chessiness, and because if feel like giving you guys a treat because I was forced a way from here for like two weeks, I will tell you the title of the next chapter which is…takes dramatic breath Rescue Mission…might change, but that is what I am calling it for now. alright now, go out there and review!

to my lovely reviewers...

Mugglenet27—I take it you like mugglenet… I DO TOO! that has got to be the best harry potter news site out there! oh, that was a nice review, thanks! I'm glad you like that it's different, I wanted to write something totally unique.

From the Silent Planet—score! someone who takes latin! glad you noticed it! do you like latin? I do, that's part of the reason why I included it, and wow, you sent me _two _reviews, both of which were really nice. I'm on your favorites?!!!! yay!! I LOVE it when I find out I'm on somebody's favorites! oh, you just brightened my day a whole lot, you did!

gryffindorgirl08—my, you are one happy individual, and you certainly send very nice reviews! one for each chapter, I'm impressed…

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

**if you review, you get to be on my _special _list! up the number, overwhelm me with them! c'mon, please?! 8)**


	7. A Visit

Disclaimer: the characters and other jk stuff in this fic are as much not mine as "Harry Potter and the Pillar of Storge" is not the title for the sixth book! (I refuse to believe that rumor, have you guys heard about it!)

A/N: just when I finally get back and think, wow, I'll have time to actually do this, no, housecleaning strikes again, and babysitting, and volunteer camps, and driver's ed ( but that's ok, cuz I want to be doing that!) so, here it is, hope you enjoy! I will get chapter eight up as soon as I possibly can, promise!

**A Visit **

_Inside the closet, Harry curled into a ball on the dusty floor and placed his thumb in his mouth. A single tear rolled down his small thin cheek._

_But that couldn't compare with the amount of tears streaming from his mother's eyes._

James whispered "Nox" and the window shut as he slowly crawled over to his sobbing wife and pulled her into a hug, trying to blind back tears himself.

_"I've got to be strong for Lily," _he thought_, "I've got to think of a way to make this better." _

"James, oh James, what can we do?" cried Lily.

"We'll go visit him, right now," said James, the idea only just occurring to him.

"But…" she faltered, "but do we _need_ to go right now? What if we need to save this for some kind of life and death situation…"

"This is more important than life or death!" exclaimed James, leaping up, "Harry needs to know that he is loved, to know that _someone_ out there cares about him! We can visit him, and to something—_anything_—to let him know! Hold him, hug him, talk to him…Talk to him! We'll talk to him in loving tones such have never been directed towards him before! Show him that talking can do _more_ than injure people's feelings, that it can be used to spread _love._ Kids who are always mistreated and unloved like him grow up bitter, angry, and end up leading messed up lives! I want my son to have more than that—_better_ than that! I…"

But Lily had pressed a finger over his lips, stopping his speech and looking up at him with eyes filled with both tears and admiration.

"You would have been the greatest father, and given the greatest father-son talks," she whispered, "I know now why we have to go…and you are absolutely right. Let's go visit our son Harry."

James smiled at her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Pop!

A scroll appeared in midair and writing began to cover it.

"Y'know, these things are kinda annoying," said Lily.

"_No!_ You really think so?" asked James sarcastically.

The scroll now read:

_Mr. James and Lily Potter, you have elected to return to the world of the living to be of assistance to Harry Potter. Please note that you will each have only thirteen visits after this. Please sign here._

A beautiful quill materialized; Lily and James sighed and signed their names.

"Oh, look! Yet _another_ message," said James.

_Please be aware that your visit may not exceed two hours._

After this, the window reopened on the ground, and an image of a sleeping Harry came into view.

"Ready?" said James, taking Lily by the hand.

"In your own words, you betcha!"

Hand in hand, they jumped into the window and dematerialized. What neither of them expected was that they would quite literally be _flying_ to Harry.

"I do not like this at all!" wailed Lily as they sped past stars and comets, "This is much—too—fast!"

"Wahoooo!" whooped James, "This is _excellent!_ Almost as good as quidditch!"

"Speak for yourself," Lily muttered bitterly.

Earth was coming closer, they were over London, then Surrey, then swooping over Privet Drive, and then suddenly rematerialized inside Harry's "bedroom."

"Well!" said James, "That was—exhilarating."

But Lily had eyes and ears only for her son.

"Oh, look at him" she said as she gazed on his sleeping form tenderly, "He's so much bigger! And oh, look at that scar he has…"

"We'll have to wake him," said James. He knelt down before the small cot that served as Harry's cradle and gently shook his shoulder.

"Harry, _Harry_, wake up son…" said James.

Harry moaned softly and slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes blearily. He spotted James and gave a little gasp and scooted away, cowering in the corner of his bed.

"Hey, little man," said James, his eyes full of pain at the though that Harry thought he might hurt him, "c'mere, I won't hurt you. You remember my fun name for you…ickle Harrykins…"

A spark of recognition flashed through Harry's green eyes; he edged a little closer to James.

"Yes, come see your good ol' dad," said James as Harry crawled towards his outstretched arms. James picked Harry up in his strong hands, and rolled onto his back on the cot, holding Harry above him.

"Remember 'Harry Quidditch,' Harry?" James said as he made Harry zoom around. Jamesnow made his voice sound like a sports announcer "And out comes the incredible seeker…Harry Potter! Aboard his trusty Comet 240, he is ready to steal the show for this game! So much like his father, he is. The balls are released and the game begins! Look Harry, look all around for the snitch. Oh no! a nasty bludger, dodge it Harry! Oh! Harry's seen the snitch! He's off!...just a bit closer…yes! he's got it! And the crowd goes wild!"

Harry giggled and Lily laughed out loud. James slowly brought Harry down onto his lap.

"Did you like that Harry?" asked James eagerly.

Harry made no reply except to place his arms around James's neck and put his head on his shoulder. James's eyes widened in surprise, and he whispered gruffly into Harry's ear, "Glad you still love Quidditch like your daddy. I love you Harry. And hey, look who else is here…"

James turned Harry around and placed him on the floor so he could see Lily for the first time. He gazed at her for a moment, then his whole face lit up in a smile and he ran the short distance into his mother's arms.

Lily could only exclaim incoherently. "Oh, Harry! I've missed you!...Oh, you remembered me…you're so big!..."

Harry was clinging tightly to his mother's neck and stroking and playing with her long silky red hair like he always used to, but when he encountered a knot in her hair and gave it a tug…

"Ow! You're certainly stronger too!" laughed Lily. "Now, Harry, today is your birthday! Do you know what that means?" she asked and then began to sing in a soft, clear voice.

"Happy birthday to you,"

James joined in, "Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday dear Harry,

Happy birthday to you!"

Harry smiled an clapped his small hands.

"Harry, look at me, dear, do you know how old you are?" Lily asked, "You're two," she held up two fingers, "Can you hold up two fingers like me and say two for your mummy?" she asked.

And so the teaching began.

A/N: so, after the extreme sadness of last chapter, you get the happy/sadness of this chapter! did you like James's speech? I worked real hard on it, but I don't know if you can feel the feeling behind it, it sounds a lot more meaningful when it is spoken by the James in my head…

**Notes to the coolest people in the world!**(and must I say, you guys made me sooo happy! **_TEN _**reviews in one chapter! wahoo! let's break the record for this chapter!

**jylphoenix**- thank you! I am definitely going to continue this through, and you'll see how much of an influence they have on harry's life with their visits…I'm not sure what I'll do if book six isn't out by the time I get through all of book five, but I have plenty of time, I'm not even to book one yet! but I do have eleven years of his life to go through before I get there! thanks again!

**Laughing Dragoness**- wow, it's "superb"? awesome! yes, I did feel bad about putting harry through that, but I figured, for him to be as lonely, small and quiet as he is when we first see him, he had to have been a little more mistreated than we think he is…

**lutefa**- yep, everybody says poor harry, and they have good reason to! yes, I will be continuing shortly, chapter eight is all planned out, it is now just a matter of typing it up when I can steal the computer away from my many siblings.

**Prongsie-gurl8**- wow, thank you, I'm flattered! yes, I always liked the idea that they could see him too, that's one of the reasons I decided to write this, plus I wanted to write something totally original! hope you enjoyed this chapter

**emmchis**- thanks! yes, chapter eight is planned, but getting the computer away from my siblings long enough to type it is another issue, then getting the phone line free for long enough to actually go on the internet…but it will be up as soon as I can possibly get it up!

**Padfootluver**- why thank you! ooooh, I love it when people use those wonderful adjectives…awesome, great, wonderful! aaaah, of course I don't mind justified criticism, but those words still are cool…

**Miss Lady Padfoot**- a person who put me on their favorites list! does crazy happy dance around the room whew, I'm back! thank you! yes, I promise an update is coming soon!

**c**- thanks, yes, I did feel depressed about putting harry through that, this chapter was hopefully a little bit happier, I know it was kind of one of those happy sad things, but at least there was some happy!

**gabwr**- thanks, yep I just keep going and going and going with this fic, y'know, now that I think about it, this fic will probably be really looooong, I mean I've got five books to go through…

REVIEW!


	8. Rescue Missions

Disclaimer: This is not mine as much as Mark Evans is not integral to the Harry Potter plot! (that was so evil of her! I can't believe she didn't think that every harry potter fan would pick up on that and assume we were so smart, just when we think we've got her figured out, jk strikes again!)

A/N: you know, I'm beginning to think I am cursed when it comes to updating on time, I always wait five to seven days before updating because I like to let you guys wonder about what's going to happen next, but something always gets in my way to delay it longer. and I'm really sorry for making you wait this long again, and I know what your thinking "yeah, yeah, excuses, excuses," but really I do have a good reason, I have been as sick as a dog for the past week, and trust me when I say I would have much rathered been updating for you guys than being as sick as I was, yesterday was the first day I had food and now that I'm feeling up to being out of bed, so here you go, finally, chapter eight, and it's pretty long for me.

ok also, just warning you, there's more dursley's being mean to harry; I really don't think that Harry would make it up when he says like "the dursley's will just be upset I didn't find a way to get myself killed" and it's not like he's being sarcastic, so there must be some basis for these statements, just letting you know…

**Rescue ****Mission******

Lily and James rematerialized with a pop on the road that they were beginning to consider all their own.

"Well, that went well, didn't it?" asked James.

"Oh, yes, just think of how much he learned in those two short hours," exclaimed Lily, "Love and manners and honesty! He even said mummy and daddy! I hope he retains it all…he seemed so happy just to see us and hear us talking to him."

"Yeah," commented James, "It wasn't much, but it's more than the Dursleys do anyway…"

"You know," said Lily, "the sad thing is that he'll just think it was all some wonderful dream…"

"Well, you know what they say, dreams are the things that provide hope for us, or something like that, Dumbledore was always saying odd things like that…c'mon, let's go sit down for a minute," James said as he pulled Lily toward the grass.

They sat quietly for a few minutes. Then Lily suddenly spoke up, "Y'know, James I'm really glad I'm not here alone,"

James laced his fingers through hers, squeezed her hand, and kissed it gently. Lily continued, "I don't know what I'd be doing if I wasn't here with you…"

"You wouldn't be seeing ickle Harrykins for one thing," James cut in.

"True…speaking of which…" said Lily.

"You want to check on him?! Already? Now, Lily, I love him too, but we got back, what? two minutes ago? He'll still be asleep! You'll be watching him drool!"

"Two minutes up here is a long time down there, James," Lily said defensively.

"Alright, alright, the things you make me do…" muttered James.

James said his magic words and there in the large window was an image of Harry just after he woke up in the early morning.

"Ha! See! I told you!" said Lily triumphantly, "It's morning time!"

Harry was sitting on his cot, rubbing his sleep filled eyelids. Suddenly, a spider lowered itself onto Harry's arm; this caused Lily to grab onto James's arm, quite painfully for James.

"James!" Lily gasped, "That spider could be poisonous!"

"Lily," James said, "There are only two words that can accurately describe you at some times, and they are…_paranoid mother_,"

"Well, it _could_ be…"

The spider was now crawling around on Harry's hand, and he was examining it with big green eyes that were sparkling with curiosity.

Slowly, carefully, deliberately, Harry lisped the word, "Spi……er, spi…er, spi-er!"

"_James!" _Lily screeched, "He's talking! Oh! Look at him! All by himself! We never talked about _spiders_ while we were with him—_HARRY'S TALKING!_" And she threw her arms around James's neck in a big bear hug.

"Lily!" James choked, "Can't…breathe…here!" but he couldn't stop smiling himself. They both turned back to the window.

Harry was no playing with the spider, giggling as it ran around in his cupped hands; it seemed like it tickled him. Harry clapped his hands, and then, dismayed looked at them for his spider.

"Spi-er?"

He prodded what had moments ago been the makings of a pet; he sighed and carefully rubbed the spider onto the floor.

"Aw, poor Harry lost his playmate," said Lily.

"Don't worry," said James, "I'm sure there's plenty more where that one came from…"

Harry was now toddling into the kitchen for breakfast. He walked right up to his aunt Petunia and asked, "Mummy?"

She started and paled, shocked that he had _talked_ in the first place, but had the complete nerve to talk to _her _about _her._ Petunia regained her composure, and her temper, quickly.

"I am _not_ your mother; to me, you are only an unwanted burden."

"Where mummy?" Harry pressed.

"Dead. Gone. Died in a car crash. She'll never come and see you. You will live here with your uncle, cousin, and I and once you are old enough, you _will_ earn your keep. "

"Yeah," snarled James, "and 'once he's old enough' he'll go to Hogwarts, save the entire world as we know it, come back, and kick your big, fat--"

"James!"

"Lily, why do you stand up for her, still?"

"I can't help it—we used to get along great before I became, in her opinion, a freak."

"The things she says to Harry about you though…" James muttered.

Everyone was now sitting down to breakfast, with Harry eating the pieces of toast that had been slightly burned and not to Dudley's liking.

"Eew, Harry!" Lily moaned, "You're touching your food with your spider guts hands! You didn't wash them!"

"Lily," said James with the air of explaining something patiently to a person very ignorant to the ways of men, "He is a little boy. Now, I don't think you ever realized this, but guys don't care about that stuff, you know, perfect hygiene and stuff."

"Oh, no, I figured that out from _you,_ my dear," Lily countered.

"Well, popkin, are you ready for your Beach Party today?" Aunt Petunia asked of a Dudley whose face was almost completely covered with marmalade.

Lily's jaw dropped, "Two _minutes_ in our time is two _days_ their time!"

"Well, I guess you were more right than you thought," said James.

Breakfast was now finished and Aunt Petunia turned to Dudley, "Let's go put on your swimming trunks, hmm, my Dinky Dididums?"

Harry looked at her expectantly.

Petunia curled her lip into a sneer, "_You_ shall not be swimming, you're only coming because we have no one to watch you. Go to your cupboard until it's time to leave."

Harry cast his eyes down and padded slowly to his cupboard. He crawled into his bed quietly and looked around solemnly for a moment. Then his eyes lit up with delight, for he spotted another spider which he could play with.

James chuckled, "Is it normal for a kid to have this much of an obsession with spiders?"

"Well, _if_ he was treated like a _normal_ kid, he would have _toys_ to play with instead of evil, biting bloodsucking fiends…"Lily fumed.

"_That_ would be a vampire, my dear. C'mon, he's fine. They're just common house spiders." James said rather jokingly.

"Hmph."

Back at the Dursley's, everyone was outside on the front lawn in the hot, bright sunshine. Vernon was ushering everyone into the car, Petunia was fastening the buckle of Dudley's car seat; Harry was sitting quietly on the bench seat.

"WITH _NO **SEATBELT!**_" Lily screeched, "SHE CAN'T EVEN PICK UP A SECOND HAND CAR SEAT FOR HER OWN NEPHEW!"

"Hey, look Lily, Vernon, just buckled him in, he's probably safer in that big metal car than if he was riding a wooden broomstick fifty feet in the air," James said consolingly.

"_James Potter! _You are the most ignorant prat when it comes to all things Muggle that I have ever met! Did you hear what she told him earlier—that we _died_ in a car crash! Do you know why she said that? 'Cause it happens! Picture this: car traveling at sixty plus miles per hour, crashes into a tree, another car, anything! Harry goes flying forward through the seatbelt because he is _too small _to be sitting in one and gets seriously hurt! _AND THERE'S NO MAGIC TO HEAL HIM!"_

"Yeah, that would be bad,"

Lily rolled her eyes.

The Dursley's car was speeding down the highway and it soon arrived at the seaside. The Dursley's all clambered out, leaving Harry, in the car, unattended.

Lily panicked, "James! He could die in that hot car! I've read about stories just like this—kids left alone in hot cars for hours get seriously ill and sometimes die! You've got to go there and spring him from that car!"

"I'm on my way," James said with a determined air, already signing the parchment scroll with a hasty, untidy scrawl that might have been his name.

"One more thing James," said Lily urgently, "You can't let him recognize you, and then when you disappear after two hours, he'll be left alone in a parking lot where he can be kidnapped or run over by a car! Send him back to the Dursley's. They'll just think he got himself out of there somehow."

"Gotcha," said James, and with that, he jumped through the window.

After an eventful ride, James landed with a thump behind the Dursley's car. He crouched low and looked around fro something to use as a disguise. He spotted a small wooden building with a concession stand and restrooms. Outside of the restroom was a crate with the words Lost and Found painted on it in big bold black letters. James grinned and picked out a disguise.

Lily, watching him, murmured, "Oh, gosh, James _please_ pick something normal…"

James emerged from the restroom a few moments later, now attired in a baseball cap, sandals, khaki shorts, sunglasses, and a blue flowered shirt, which he had left halfway unbuttoned.

"James Potter, you are a married man!" Lily exclaimed, "_Oh, come on," _she mentally chastised herself, "_he's at the beach, at least he's fitting in and not attracting notice…"_

Lily thought too soon.

"Hey man! Want to play some beach volleyball? We're short a player," said a big buff blonde guy who looked about James's age.

"Nah," James responded, " Thanks, but I'm headed back to my wife and son, Lindsey and James; y'know, spending a family day at the beach. I'm Jim by the way," and he stuck out his hand to shake the other man's.

"Good job James, disguising the names. We didn't go to Auror school for nothing!" said Lily.

A girl with long blond hair in a bikini came prancing up. The man pulled her to him.

"Jim, this is Stephanie, better known as Steph, my fiancé. And I'm Ben."

"Did you find a player yet, hon?" Steph asked.

"I asked Jim here if he was up to it, which he seems to be seeing as he looks like he works out a bit," said Ben, nodding at James's abs which were nicely toned from Quidditch, "but he says he's spending the day with his wife and son."

"Ooh! have them come watch you," gushed Steph, "I'm sure your little boy would love to watch you. Ever play volleyball much?"

"Um, no, actually, never played," James was beginning to get impatient, wanting to end the conversation and get to Harry.

"Really? Well, come on then, it'll be a learning experience," said Ben.

"Uh," James was getting desperate now, "Tell you what, I'll go talk to Lindsey and maybe we'll drop by later. We're going to be here all day."

"Alright, if you're sure," said Ben.

"Yeah, well it was nice meeting you two," James said, "See you later."

"I'll expect you,"

James nodded and waved as he turned and walked quickly back to the Dursley's car. Harry was inside, looking red in the face and sweaty, pressing the window buttons.

"Alright James, think," he commanded himself, "I have absolutely no idea how Muggles do this so I'll have to use magic," He glanced around quickly to make sure no muggles were watching, concentrated, then muttered quietly, "Alohomora,"

The door nearest Harry opened immediately. James quickly unbuckled Harry and lifted him out of the car. Harry looked up, smiled gratefully, and lisped, "Dank—ooo,"

"Oh, he remembered his manners!" Lily squealed.

She watched as James smiled and directed Harry towards the Dursleys. James then hid himself a little distance away so he could watch Harry during his remaining time.

Meanwhile, Harry had toddled up behind his aunt, who was sitting down in a beach chair, and tapped her on her unsuspecting shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin and rounded on Harry.

Her eyes flew open in surprise, "_You!_ How did you get out of the car?!"

Harry just grinned.

"Well," Petunia sputtered, knowing this had to be as a result of his freakishness. _"Who knows what he has done to the car?"_ she thought, and then continued aloud to Harry, "Well, we most certainly won't be taking you back there! Get out of my sight now!"

Harry scampered away, closer to the water. He spent quite some time there, examining rocks and shells, watching passerby, laughing at the birds that swooped over the water, just simply enjoying himself in his own quiet solitary way.

_"It's good to hear him laugh," _thought Lily.

James had just begun to relax while watching his son have fun for once, when he noticed Harry beginning to play in the shallow water.

"Great," muttered James, "He better not go too far out; he doesn't know how to swim,"

Harry went in a little deeper, the water coming up to his thighs now.

Then, Lily spotted something moving towards Harry—a kelpie which was changing between its usual form and some inconspicuous fish.

"Oh God, no," she whispered, "Look James, there's a kelpie! Get Harry out of there!"

Suddenly the kelpie took the form of a beautiful mermaid with long flowing red hair. However, it was clever enough to keep its tail under water—to muggle passerby it simply looked like a bathing teenager.

James immediately knew what it was and Harry noticed it too…

"Mummy?" he asked, stepping closer.

The kelpie shook back its glossy head, making the red strands catch the sunlight; it was luring Harry ever so slowly onto its back.

James was walking as fast as he could towards Harry without breaking into an all out run.

Harry was a wand's length away from touching the kelpie's beautiful hair.

The kelpie shook back its hair so it blew back in the wind closer to Harry.

Lily held her breath.

"Nooo!" James screamed. He grabbed Harry around the middle and concentrated with all his might on a placement charm. It worked—a bridle appeared on the mermaid, the kelpie turned back into its horse form, it turned and streaked away.

James held Harry tighter and ran before he made even more of a spectacle of himself. He barreled straight at Petunia, dropped Harry's soaking wet body on top of her _Home and Gardening_ magazine, and kept on running.

Vernon Dursley stood up, furious, and shook his fist at James's fleeing back, screaming, "What the devil do you think you are doing, you hoodlum?!"

But James was still running, running across the beach, past the concession stand, across the parking lot, and then with a sudden pop, he was gone.

A/N: well, did you like it? there might be some typing/grammar mistakes—I was a little delirious from being sick, like I had the attention span of crabbe or goyle while typing this up, (seriously, that shows you how sick I was, I'm glad I'm finally getting better) and no, lily and james are not going to use up all their visits before Harry even starts Hogwarts, I've got it all planned out, and I do know what I'm doing for chapter nine, and I have a few ideas for chapter ten, oooh, and I'm going to make a songfic with kinda the same concept as this story, look for it coming in about week, but maybe sooner!

**The Very Cool People who Reviewed Me! (and if you review this week you can tell me who you think the halfblood prince is and I will post the results on the next chapter!)**

**Miss Lady Padfoot**- thanks a bunch! glad you came back and I hope it wasn't too long before I updated…

**shloki**- thanks! I will I will I WILL update this soon! I promise this time! I'm not sick anymore, and I will single handedly fend off all siblings from the computer…wait! here comes one, hang on… forces younger sibling to go read a book, enjoy the beautiful sunshine, etc…I'm back! ha!

**groovygreek****-**yay! I'm soo glad you liked james's speech, I really liked it and I worked really hard on it! I know, I'm glad harry had _one_ good birthday at the dursley's before he knew he was a wizard…

**StagFlower15**- wow, I made someone cry…I don't know what to say, I guess that's good! eek! I'm excited! you make me feel very flattered, y'know it would be cool and funny if jk came onto and read what people do to harry, lily, james, and co. just a thought

**Laughing Dragoness**- I know how you feel with summer camps, I still have two more this summer, but they're just in the morning, anyway…thanks!

**Prongsie-gurl8**- nice to have you back! I really need to have another happy harry moment in this story, but he just has such and unhappy childhood…I'll think of something to lighten the mood…well, anyway, thanks for your review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**I will now make up songs to get you to review!** or maybe I'm still out of it and you all will just be very very scared of me…oh well!

don't know if everyone knows this song/cheer thing but here goes…

Bang Bang choo-choo train,

come on readers do your thing!

Read it, Read it, Read it!

Like it, Like it, Like it! ugh!

Now go REVIEW!

wahoo! wow, I'm in an odd mood…till next time! ciao!


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